Oil leak..pic inside..need some info

[DMAN302]

Well I was under the impression my rear main was leaking..but now not so sure. I have oil on the four oil pan bolts on the driverside..rear of the pan. The entire block is dry, dipstick tube area is dry. The back shield between the tranny and engine is dry on the top inside and out..but I have oil (drops on the four back oil pan bolts. The oil is dripping and running very slowly down the back shield and collecting on the bottom of the shield as well. The area around the bottom of the rear main seal and pan is dry. Could oil be seaping past the pan bolts (which are tight..checked already)? Again block is dry and valve covers are dry and snug. PCV valve area is dry, and the back of the lower intake is dry as well. Here is a pic of the area..the bolt furthest from the rear main area has oil on it as well and leads me to think the oil is getting past the bolts?? Again no oil anywhere else on the pan or the back shield..lost I am. Picture does not show it but the area around the crank/rear main (rounded area of the pan) is dry as a bone..when I pry the shield back it is completely dry in there as well.

 

[88GT17MA]

I would say its seeping through the bolts, and now that its oil has made its way through, it will just keep coming. The oil that has already leaked through the bolt is creating an easier path now for more oil to follow. Thread sealer? Idk, I'm sure someone has the "correct" way to fix it.

 

[DMAN302]

Yeah I'm thinking that too..notice how the bolts furthest apart have oil on them...just curious how come the other side is dry..no leaks. I don't see how this could be a rear main issue, but Im open to sugestions..motor is fairly new with only 350 miles on it.

 

[DMAN302]

bumpa

 

[wyominghotwheel]

is your dipstick tube, where it goes into the block dry? I had the same problem and had to silicone the tube where it goes into the block.........hotwheels of insanemustangs.com

 

[DMAN302]

Seems to be..but it is an area I am looking at...feels generally dry in that area,the tube is a FMS chrome pc and does not completely seat like the original did. However the distance from the back bolt to the dipstick is considerable, not sure if it could travel in that direction.

 

[DMAN302]

Ttt

 

[Michael Yount]

What kind of oil pan gasket did you use? Were the oil pan bolts installed dry (threads)? Is it dripping on the ground or just moist? If dripping, does it drip while running or after you stop the car? Are the pcv components new (grommet, valve, screen)?

 

[DMAN302]

Hello Michael..thanks for your time.
PCV components are all new and area all round upper intake is dry, as is the block around the PCV and the entire upper and lower block area. The oil is collecting on the heads of the four bolts in the pic, and oil is running down the back side of the backing plate and collecting on the lower lip of this plate(external side of plate). I was under the impression the oil was coming from the rear main seal, however seeing that the area at and around the pan (like the rounded out portion where pan is dished at the crank/seal area)and back shield are not showing any oil deposits. The oil appears to be dripping from the very back bolt and running slowly down the back shield. The oil pan gasket is a one pc blue rubber gasket that was installed by the builder and torque on the bolts seem correct. I am kind of at a loss as to how oil could collect on the four bolt heads (hanging drop on each) but not show a trail to them from another location. I almost think oil is weaping through the holes past the bolts themselves????

 

[Michael Yount]

Did you build it or someone else? Was thread sealer used on the oil pan bolts?

 

[DMAN302]

Built by a local gentleman..I do not think thread sealer was used, and that is my thinking as a cause. I don't see a bad rear main positioning oil in the locations the oil is at...though I am not a professional. I am also giving thought to the idea the distick tube is not seated completely..but again I'm not certain the oil could travel to the locations as it has. Mike would'nt the area center back of the pan where it is dished for the crank be the most common location for oil collection if leaking? The drivers side is the only side showing oil deposits..sorry if repeating, just trying to give as much info as I am aware of.

 

[Michael Yount]

One of your previous posts seems to allude to it running down the back side of the dust shield - that would point to rear main. I'd take a trip to the fellow that built it - and ask him to solve it.

 

[DMAN302]

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[04sleeper]

One thing to point out it not to overtighten those 4 bolts. Do not even try to tighten them more than the others.

As I see in the picture you do have the oil pan rail stiffener, so that is good. But remember with this the clamping force on all the bolts MUST BE EQUAL.

The oil pan only needs to be tightened 6-9 ft. lbs. (8-12 Nm).


Also did you use any gasket sealer along with the gasket?

 

[DMAN302]

NO sealer was used after conversation with builder. I again went under the car to inspect..I'll give some observations see if anything helps. On the tranny side of the dust shield it is bone dry..I pryed it back to inspect..no oil at all. The pan it's self is dry as a bone. The oil on the dust shield bottom lip was from the back bolt on the oil pan on the drivers side. There is oil residue on the oil pan stiffiner on that side. Oil is residing on the bolts on the very back and the fourth bolt furthest away from the tranny ( oil collecting on these bolt heads). The area directly under the rear main is dry and clean..no sign of oil driping from under the rear main area at all. The passenger side is perfectly clean. I am curious about the rear main, which is why I keep bringing it up, but oils location is higher and to the side..I don't see how the oil could only collect on underside flat portion of the pan where the bolts fasten and not run directly down from the rear main area if main was leaking.

 

[04sleeper]

Well if you say that you have inspected behind the sheild and it was dry then I would assume the rear main seal is ok.

I have always used sealer along with the gasket when installing oil pan gaskets.

I would try to degrease the bottom of the engine again and try to keep a good eye on where it starts to form.

 

[DMAN302]

That's pretty much all I can do and I know it. I am going to do a complet clean up under there and a blob of RTV in between each of the bolts, hopefully by doing so I will be able to stop the oil from traveling and see where it's originating from.

 

[04sleeper]

Sounds like a good start.

Remember 6-9 ft. lbs. is all that is needed.

Good Luck.

Kevin

 

[DMAN302]

Thanks Kevin..glad you and Mike took the time.I know every situation is different, but I like to put out feelers so I can approach the situation open minded and with a decent understanding of the possibles.
Derek.

 

[04sleeper]

No problem.

Sounds like a Great way to look at things.